Saturday, July 2, 2011

I am a worm and not a man

But I am a worm and not man. I am scorned and despised by all! Everyone who sees me mocks me. They sneer and shake their heads, saying, "Is this the one who relies on the Lord? Then let the Lord save him! If the Lord loves him so much, let the Lord rescue him!"Psalm 22: 6-8 NLT

The psalmist feels down. In fact, the psalmist feels so down that he feels like a worm rather than a man. He feels like a creature that lives in and eats dirt, a creature so low that it is never regarded and usually stepped on. The psalmist sees that everyone despises him and treats him poorly. They even make fun of the psalmist's faith in God.

Think back on a time when you felt as low as a worm. For me, it was elementary school. I was fat, smart, not athletic and did not have many friends. I was always last to be chosen by any team unless it was "Red Rover." I never was cutely or stylishly dressed. I didn't listen to rock music. I watched very little television, so didn't know the characters or shows that everyone else talked about. I always felt that other people either ridiculed me behind my back or felt sorry for me. I felt like a worm. I escaped my feelings of inferiority by reading.

What can we do when we feel so low? The psalmist prays to God. We can as well.

God, sometimes we just feel surrounded by enemies and made fun of. Lord, in those times when we feel like worms, help us to continue to call on you. Help us to know you are with us even in the mud. In Jesus' name. Amen.